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1The wisdom of the humble lifts their heads high[#Gen 41.40; Dan 6.3; Sir 39.4]
and seats them among the great.
2Do not praise individuals for their good looks[#1 Sam 16.7]
or loathe anyone because of appearance alone.
3The bee is small among flying creatures,[#Judg 14.18; Ps 119.103; Prov 16.24; 24.13]
but what it produces is the origin of sweet things.
4Do not mock those wearing only a loincloth[#Ps 139.14; Dan 4.30; Acts 12.21]
or make fun of those whose day is bitter,
for the works of the Lord are wonderful
and his works are concealed from humans.
5Many oppressed have sat upon a throne,[#Ps 78.70, 71; #11.5 Heb: Gk Many sovereigns have sat on the ground]
and one whom no one expected has worn a crown.
6Many rulers have been utterly disgraced,[#1 Sam 15.28; Esth 7.10]
and the honored have been handed over to others.
7Do not find fault before you investigate;[#Deut 13.14; 17.6; Jn 7.51]
examine first and then criticize.
8Do not answer before you listen,[#Prov 18.13]
and do not interrupt when another is speaking.
9Do not argue about a matter that does not concern you,
and do not sit with sinners when they judge a case.
10My child, do not busy yourself with many matters;
if you multiply activities, you will not be held blameless.
If you pursue, you will not overtake,
and by fleeing you will not escape.
11There are those who work and struggle and hurry[#Ps 127.2; 1 Tim 6.9]
but are so much the more in want.
12There are others who are slow and need help,[#Job 42.10]
who lack strength and abound in poverty,
but the eyes of the Lord look kindly upon them;
he lifts them out of their lowly condition
13and raises up their heads
to the amazement of the many.
14Good things and bad, life and death,[#1 Sam 2.7; Job 1.21; 2.10]
poverty and wealth, come from the Lord.
17The Lord’s gift remains with the devout,
and his favor brings lasting success.
18A person becomes rich through diligence and self-denial,[#Eccl 4.8; Sir 31.3]
and the reward allotted to him is this:
19when he says, “I have found rest,[#Ps 49.10; Sir 14.4, 15; 31.3; Lk 12.19]
and now I shall feast on my goods!”
he does not realize how time passes by;
he will leave them to others and will die.
20Stand by your agreement and attend to it,
and grow old in your work.
21Do not wonder at the works of a sinner,[#Prov 23.17; Eccl 5.8]
but trust in the Lord and keep at your job,
for it is easy in the sight of the Lord
to make the poor person suddenly rich, in an instant.
22The blessing of the Lord is the reward of the pious,[#11.22 Heb: Gk is in]
and quickly his blessing flourishes.
23Do not say, “What do I need,[#Mal 3.14; Tob 2.14]
and what further benefit can be mine?”
24Do not say, “I have enough,[#v 19]
and what harm can come to me now?”
25In the day of prosperity, adversity is forgotten,[#Eccl 11.8; Sir 18.25]
and in the day of adversity, prosperity is not remembered.
26For it is easy for the Lord on the day of death[#Sir 18.24; Lk 16.25]
to reward individuals according to their conduct.
27An hour’s misery makes one forget delights,[#Job 42.12; Sir 1.13]
and at the close of one’s life one’s deeds are revealed.
28Call no one happy before his death;
by how he ends, a person becomes known.
29Do not invite everyone into your home,
for many are the tricks of the crafty.
30Like a decoy partridge in a cage, so is the mind of the proud,[#Jer 5.26, 27]
and like spies they observe your weakness,
31for they lie in wait, turning good into evil,[#Isa 5.20, 23]
and to worthy actions they attach blame.
32From a spark many coals are kindled,[#Prov 1.11; Jas 3.5]
and a sinner lies in wait to shed blood.
33Beware of scoundrels, for they devise evil,[#Prov 6.12–14]
and they may ruin your reputation forever.
34Receive strangers into your home, and they will stir up trouble for you
and will make you a stranger to your own family.